Hook-and-loop component embedded with foam material and cushion thereof

ABSTRACT

A hook-and-loop component embedded with a foam material is disclosed herein and includes a band body having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface and the second surface being opposite to each other and the hook-and-loop component is characterized in that: a plurality of pores disposed on the band body; a plurality of hair loops disposed on the first surface; and a magnetic material disposed on the second surface and is corresponding to a disposed position of the hair loops;. The disposed position of the hair loops and the magnetic material includes an interval away from an edge of the first surface and the second surface.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/682,369 entitled “HOOK-AND-LOOP COMPONENT EMBEDDED WITH FOAMMATERIAL AND CUSHION THEREOF” filed on Nov. 20, 2012 which claimed aforeign priority of TW 101137885, filed on Oct. 15, 2012.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is related to a hook-and-loop component, and moreparticularly to a hook-and-loop component embedded with a foam materialin a mold.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The hook-and-loop strip in prior art is invented by a Swiss engineerGeorge de Mestral in accordance with the idea of burrs. Hook-and-loopstrip is configured to connect a component with tiny hooks and anothercomponent with hair loops together. When the hooks and loops are pressedtogether, the two pieces fasten or bind together.

The hook-and-loop strip is easy to assemble and detach. In recent year,the hook-and-loop is usually applied to operate in coordination withother components. When the hook-and-loop strip is used with a foamcomponent, such as a cushion or chair cushion, the hook of thehook-and-loop strip is faced to outside. The hook-and-loop strip iscombined with the chair cushion for connecting to another component witha corresponding hair loop. The manufacturing method of the hook-and-loopstrip and the chair cushion is to put the hook-and-loop strip in apredetermined position of a mold, and a foam material is filled therein.After the foam material is solidified, the hook-and-loop strip and thechair cushion are formed together.

However, the hook of the hook-and-loop strip used in the chair cushionis a hard material. In order to protect the hook being not covered bythe foam material, it is necessary to include some extra works. Forexample, a disclosure in U.S. Pat. No. 5,061,540 includes an elasticseal portion to prevent the foam material filling into the hook duringthe foaming process and also includes a special mold to protect thehook. But extra works require extra manufacturing time, and it increasesmanufacturing cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to solve the problems described above, one main object of thepresent invention is to provide a hook-and-loop component embedded witha foam material. By using a magnetic material on the hook-and-loopcomponent, the hook-and-loop component with hair loops can be fixed inthe foaming mold process during the foaming process. After the foamingprocess, the hook-and-loop component can be detached easily from themold.

According to objects above, a hook-and-loop component embedded with afoam material is disclosed in the present invention and includes a bandbody having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface andthe second surface being opposite to each other and the hook-and-loopcomponent is characterized in that: a plurality of pores disposed on theband body; a plurality of hair loops disposed on the first surface; anda magnetic material disposed on the second surface and is correspondingto a disposed position of the hair loops;. The disposed position of thehair loops and the magnetic material includes an interval away from anedge of the first surface and the second surface.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cushion with ahook-and-loop component. By disposing the magnetic material on thehook-and-loop component, the hook-and-loop component with hair loops canbe fixed by the magnetic force during the foaming process. After thefoaming process, the hook-and-loop component is easily detached from themold. By the pores of the hook-and-loop component, the hook-and-loopcomponent is fixed in the cushion.

According to the object described above, a cushion with a hook-and-loopcomponent is provided in the present invention and includes a chaircushion with a hook-and-loop component having a foam material chair bodyand at least one hook-and-loop component, and the foam material and thehook-and-loop component are integrally formed. The hook-and-loopcomponent includes a band body having a first surface and a secondsurface, the first surface and the second surface being opposite to eachother and the hook-and-loop component is characterized in that: aplurality of pores disposed on the band body; a plurality of hair loopsdisposed on the first surface; and a magnetic material disposed on thesecond surface and is corresponding to a disposed position of the hairloops;. The disposed position of the hair loops and the magneticmaterial includes an interval away from an edge of the first surface andthe second surface.

In accordance with the hook-and-loop component provided in the presentinvention to substitute the cushion with hook, the manufacturing timefor extra manufacturing work is saved and the manufacturing cost isreduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of thisinvention will become more readily appreciated as the same becomesbetter understood by reference to the following detailed description,when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1A is a view illustrating a hook-and-loop component in oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1B is a A-A sectional view of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2A is a view illustrating hook-and-loop component is embedded witha foam material in one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2B, it is a view illustrating the hook-and-loop component is foamfilling within the mold in one embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a view illustrating a chair cushion with the hook-and-loopcomponent in one embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A hook-and-loop component embedded with a foam material and a cushionthereof are disclosed in the present invention. The detailed descriptionof the present invention will be discussed in the following embodiments,which are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, butcan be adapted for other applications. While drawings are illustrated indetails, it is appreciated that the quantity of the disclosed componentsmay be greater or less than that disclosed, except expressly restrictingthe amount of the components.

Please refer to FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, which are respectively illustratinga view and an A-A line sectional view of FIG. 1A of a hook-and-loopcomponent in one embodiment of the present invention. The hook-and-loopcomponent 1 includes a band body 10, a plurality of hair hoops 30 and amagnetic material 20. The band body includes a first surface 101 and asecond surface 103 and the first surface 101 and the second surface 103are opposite to each other. The material of the band body is nonwovenfabric or fiber fabric and includes a plurality of pores 105. The hairloops 30 are disposed on an area of the first surface 101 of the bandbody 10 with an interval D existing between a side edge of the disposedarea and an edge 1011 of the first surface 101. In addition, in thesecond surface 103 which is opposite to the first surface, the magneticmaterial 20 is disposed on an area of the second surface 103corresponding to the disposed area of the hair loops 30, with the sameinterval D existing between a side edge of the disposed area of themagnetic material 20 and an edge 1031 of the second surface 103. Themagnetic material 20 is preferred to be powder material to include aneven magnetic effect and the main material thereof is preferred to bemetal powder or metal alloy powder. It is important for the magneticmaterial to be connected by a magnet.

Thereafter, please refer to FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, it is a viewillustrating hook-and-loop component to be embedded with a foam material70 in one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2A andFIG. 2B, because the hook-and-loop component 1 is configured to beembedded with a foam material 70 and exposed the hair loops 30 forconnecting, a mold 40 is provided to fix the hook-and-loop component 1and the foam material 70 can be formed on the hook-and-loop component 1.As shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, when the hook-and-loop component 1 isto be embedded with the foam material 70, the first surface 101 of thehook-and-loop component 1 is firstly reversed and then disposed on asurface of the mold 40. The mold 40 is provided with a magnet 401 suchthat the magnetic material 20 on the hook-and-loop component 1 will beattracted by the surface of the mold 40 and the reversed hook-and-loopcomponent 1 is firmly adhered to the surface of the mold 40. Inaddition, because the hair loops 30 are soft fiber material, the hairloops 30 are pressed to be compact between the reversed hook-and-loopcomponent 1 and the mold 40 when the reversed hook-and-loop component 1is firmly adhered to the mold 40. As a result, the first surface 101 ofthe hook-and-loop component 1 is adhered to the surface of the mold 40because of the magnetic force between the magnet 401 and the magneticmaterial 20 and there is no gap between the surface of the mold 40 andthe first surface 101 of the hook-and-loop component 1.

Now, please refer to FIG. 2B, it is a view illustrating a foam material70 is filling the hook-and-loop component 1 within the mold 40 in oneembodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2B, during thefoaming process, the foam material 70 fills the pores 105 of the bandbody 10 in the hook-and-loop component 1 via the area on the secondsurface 103 with the interval D. Since the reversed hook-and-loopcomponent 1 is firmly adhered to the surface of the mold 40, the hairloops 30 are pressed between the reversed hook-and-loop component 1 andthe mold 40 without any gap survive therebetween. That is to say thepores 105 existing between the hair loops 30 and the magnetic material20 are barred at top and bottom to prevent filling of the foam material70.

On the other hand, since the area with the interval D is not providedwith the magnetic material 20 on the top and is not provided with thehair loop 30 on the bottom, the first surface 101 of the area with theinterval D is not firmly adhered to the surface of the mold 40 and therewill be a gap 50 existing between the first surface 101 and the surfaceof the mold. During the foaming process, the foam material 70 will enterthe gap 50 to fill.

Therefore, the foam material 70 can only fills the pores 105 of the bandbody 10 in the hook-and-loop component 1 via the area on the secondsurface 103 with the interval D and via the area on the first surface101 with the interval D through the gap 50.

It is to be noted that the foam material 70 will be gradually hardenedwhen filling the pores 105 of the band body 10 in the hook-and-loopcomponent 1, and therefore a proper chosen interval D enables the foammaterial 70 to fill only the pores 105 within the band body 10 of thearea with the interval D and become hardened before reach the pores 105of the band body 10 of the disposed area of the hair loops 30 and themagnetic material 20.

As a result, the foam material 70 is only embedded with the portion ofthe hook-and-loop component having the interval D and covers the edge1011 of the first surface 101, and the hair loops 30 are not polluted bythe foam material 70. Accordingly, not only the hook-and-loop component1 is firmly embedded with the foam material 70, but also the hair loops30 are protected from polluting by the foam material 70 during thefoaming process. In the present invention, the number, shape or positionof the magnet 401 in the mold 40 is not limited herein, as long as themagnet 401 can connect the hook-and-loop component 1.

Please refer to FIG. 3, it is a view illustrating a chair cushion withthe hook-and-loop component in one embodiment of the present invention.As shown in FIG. 3, the chair cushion includes a foam material chairbody 60 and at least one hook-and-loop component 1. The foam materialchair body 60 and the hook-and-loop component 1 are formed integrally.The hook-and-loop component 1 is the same as the hook-and-loop component1 is the previous embodiment and includes a band body 10, a magneticmaterial 20 and a hair loop 30. The hair loops 30 are disposed on thefirst surface 101 of the band body 10 with an interval D existingbetween the disposed area and an edge 1011 of the first surface 101. Inaddition, in the second surface 103 which is opposite to the firstsurface, the magnetic material 20 is disposed on the correspondingposition of the hair loops 30 with the same interval D existing betweenthe disposed area and an edge 1031 of the second surface 103. Thecharacteristic of the components and the connective relationship are thesame as the previous embodiment, the detail description is omittedherein. For example, the foam material chair body 60 is embedded withinthe pores 105 in the edge 1011 of the hook-and-loop component 1 and thefoam material chair body 60 covers the edge 1011 of the first surface101 of the hook-and-loop component 1.

In addition, in the preferred embodiment, the foam material chair bodyfurther includes at least one concave 601 and the hook-and-loopcomponent 1 can be disposed therein to enhance the match of the chaircushion 2 with other components with the corresponding hook-and-loopcomponent (such as chair cushion cover or the hook of the chair backmain body).

The hook-and-loop component provided in the present invention is tosubstitute the chair cushion with hook to save the process time forextra manufacturing works so as to reduce the manufacturing cost.

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, itwill be appreciated by those skilled in the art that variousmodifications may be made without departing from the scope of thepresent invention, which is intended to be limited solely by theappended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A hook-and-loop component embedded with a foammaterial, comprising: a band body having a first surface and a secondsurface, the first surface and the second surface being opposite to eachother, the band body being made of nonwoven fabric or fiber fabric; aplurality of pores disposed within the band body; a plurality of hairloops being soft fiber materials disposed on a first area of the firstsurface; and a magnetic material disposed on a second area of the secondsurface corresponding in position to the first area; wherein a side edgeof the first area is distant from an edge of the first surface with aninterval while a side edge of the second area is distant from an edge ofthe second surface with the same interval; and wherein only the poreswithin the interval are filled with the foam material and the foammaterial covers the edge of the first surface and the edge of the secondsurface, and the foam material does not reach the pores between thefirst area and the second area due to that the foam material becomehardened during filling the pores within the interval.
 2. Thehook-and-loop component of claim 1, wherein the hook-and-loop componentis fixed in a mold with the first area of the first surface being firmlyadhered to the mold and the hair loops are pressed to be compact duringa process of being embedded with the foam material, and a gap is existedbetween the first surface with the interval and a surface of the mold.3. The hook-and-loop component of claim 1, wherein the magnetic materialis powder.
 4. The hook-and-loop component of claim 3, wherein themagnetic material is metal powder.
 5. The hook-and-loop component ofclaim 3, wherein the magnetic material is metal alloy powder.
 6. A chaircushion with a hook-and-loop component comprising a foam material madechair body and at least one hook-and-loop component, and the foammaterial of the chair body and the hook-and-loop component areintegrally formed, the hook-and-loop comprising a band body having afirst surface and a second surface, the first surface and the secondsurface being opposite to each other and the hook-and-loop, thehook-and-loop component comprising: a plurality of pores disposed withinthe band body, and the band body is made of nonwoven fabric or fiberfabric; a plurality of hair loops being soft fiber materials disposed ona first area of the first surface; and a magnetic material disposed on asecond area of the second surface corresponding in position to the firstarea; wherein a side edge of the first area is distant from an edge ofthe first surface with an interval while a side edge of the second areais distant from an edge of the second surface with the same interval;and wherein only the pores within the interval are filled with the foammaterial and the foam material covers the edge of the first surface andthe edge of the second surface; wherein the hook-and-loop component isfixed in a mold with the first area of the first surface being firmlyadhered to the mold and the hair loops are pressed to be compact duringa process of being embedded with the foam material, and a gap is existedbetween the first surface with the interval and a surface of the mold;and wherein the foam material is gradually hardened when filling thepores within the interval and does not reach the pores between the firstarea and the second area such that the hair loops are not polluted bythe foam material.
 7. The chair cushion with the hook-and-loop componentof claim 6, wherein the foam material chair body includes at least oneconcave for disposing the hook-and-loop component.